thoughts ???

[liambryant]

BTW Jonno, X-Terminator has an axe just to let you know

[psycho_fling]

i personally like that there is a difference of ability within the class i believe it adds further variety

im sure like most observers that the most powerful bots are they favorites, for example i always make a point of watching the fights with thor or thz in (when more active) as you knew that there is real potetial for, sparks, big hits and in the end damage

[Ellis]

I've not even built my first featherweight yet, let alone attended any events, but I'd like to say that if any changes are made that in my opinion they should be made to the environment in which fights are held, and they should not be made to the rules for robot building. The freedom to build the most powerful flipper, in my eyes, should not be removed. The problem isn't that flippers are the best type of robot overall, the problem is that they are the best type of robot in the current fighting environment.

Deliberately uneven floor (think DragonCon) and immediately, flippers are less effective and therefore less desirable.

[Gasbot]

I don't think an uneven floor will work very well, it will probably get ripped up :twisted:

I think it all comes down to the level of engineering available to you, I might be wrong but when we were active with Mute some of the bots used to be leagues ahead of others - it didn't mean they were any less fun to fight though. Also if full pressure gas systems are available off the shelf then FP flippers are pretty simple to create and effective to boot. If everybody had to make their own rams etc, how many FP flippers would there be? Unless you have access to a lathe this would probably put FP flippers out of reach of some bot builders - I guess this would shunt people back into the low pressure or hydraulic setups? It would add variety but doesn't mean they're any less effective though.

Just random thoughts that might be well out of date.

[Danjr1]

would be interesting to see the reaction if a game-changer like razer was created and competed today

[widow_twanky]

Ok,

Im going to think about the two teired system.... and look at the seedings from the champs and see who falls into what !!

Think it might be interesting to try,

:-)

John

Not sure that's the be all of working out a two tiered system. Bots like Tiberious etc who went out first round would be out of place in a lower tier, but I'm sure you'll twig that anyway.

For us, things move on a bit. Paul's off doing other things, Luke's spending a lot of time being a rock star (and I'm sure another opportunity to play at the roundhouse would trump a robot event) and my dad's back is a bit old and manky now so lugging a number of heavies around is tough.

Quite sure we will end the year this year with a lot less robots than we have now.

We'll be running dtk as the main robot this year but a two tier system would actually suit us. We'd like to end up with just a rebuilt Hydra and possibly WBC up and running at last.

Not having to worry too much about getting the **** knocked out of the robots would be good and whilst Hydra's axe can have quite a bit of well, running it on 10bar with a 1/4 valve it just sounds good and doesn't do too much damage. Also it means that the major upgrade of the titanium body wouldn't really be necessary in a lower division as the expected damage would be lower. Thor can rip the armour apart with a few lucky hits and it just gets too expensive not to do something about it as things stand.

Don't get me wrong, we still enjoy the robots and will still be coming to most events it's just the time available to spend on the heavies is very limited now. We don't have the time to get anywhere close to the likes of Iron Awe or Ripper but it's still fun. Feathers will be the way to go for us really. A few flippers and some spinners for the robochallenge events would suit us now really.

[Team Invade]

It seems that we are considering a two tier system to bring older robots back into that sport without the risk of getting seriously damaged. While that may be a good concept, the problem that I can see is that the robots that are currently creating the shows would get even more damaged, and face robots such as Thor and Tiberius a lot more than they do currently. Even as we are, robots such as that seem to be able to cause problems for even the hardox constructed machines. While innovative machines make the shows interesting, it is worrying to think that all the 'top tier', spectacular robots that make the show exciting would feature less often, and end up broken.

[mattsdragons]

I see the logic behind the system

I for one full well know I was a 'must be FP flipper' person, but then I stopped and though about it and realised that it's just far too dangerous for meyamsLNG level of experience yet, so I'll have some fun with a rammer, and if I get damage then I'll repair it and get straight back in

[cliveb]

Toon Raider has had more than its fair share of fights with Thor and Scorpion.Yes we have sustained damage from their axes,as i write this the flipper arm will not go up and down properly the gas bottle is wrecked and the the lid over the bottle is mangled.Answer,change it and make it better, and surely by fighting the better robots more often can only increase your skill level as a driver and strategist.If your bot is not being improved it is probably going backwards anyway.If the two tier system was introduced using the 2011 UK Champs rankings,Thtz,Tiberious,Toon Raider,Storm 2,Eruption and possibly Beast if my memory serves me right wouldn't be top ranked robots anyway.

Just my thoughts

Clive

[craig_colliass]

The idea of a two tier system seems fine,
Saint will be in the lower set, but I am happy to fight anyone's robot.

Personally I make a point of never tapping out of a fight, and as a result Saint was up against Thor at least 5 times at one event, nothing that a 12lbs sledge hammer hitting the shell for half hour could not sort out

I just can't bring myself to make a destructive machine! I have a plan for a new system that could penetrate 4mm Hardox but I just can't make it :sad: